SUCCESSFUL TIME MANAGEMENT

Author:
Mrs. Bindu Bharathi, MSN, BSN, RN, RM
Lecturer, Faculty of Nursing, Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

"Successful Time Management" is the relevant topic in everybody's life, because if you are able to manage your time properly, you are also able to manage your life. Through this article the author requesting to the people to use your time effectively and efficiently. So you can achieve your life goals. Time is a valuable and scarce resource for every one, which is often underutilized or misused by the people. Time is infinite and cannot be stored. We cannot stop the clock but we definitely can optimize the use of time through proper planning and organization.


1. INTRODUCTION

The person those who are utilizing their time effectively they are more productive and active. They are leading more balanced life. "Time" is like "money" if we are not spending properly it may go from your hand. So it shows that time is important than money. If you are giving value to your money; definitely you have value in your own time, therefore you should know how to use the time in the effective way. Once the time is goes it will not come back, so every moment of your time is very precious. The person those who are utilizing their time effectively they are free from stress and they can easily attain their life goals.

2. BASICS OF TIME MANAGEMENT

Time management is self management. So self discipline is important factor in time management. Successful time management focuses on effectiveness i.e. Do the right things efficiently and effectively at the right time. The essence of time management is depends on determination of goals and priorities. So you can prioritize your goals. Good habits are essential for successful time management. The most important thing is how best we utilize our time to accomplish the really important things in our life.

3. HOW TO PLAN THE TIME?

Important Versus Urgent Things
Important things are those that contribute significantly to our personal mission and goals. Important things are seldom urgent and tend to have long - term consequences. Urgent things are things that must be done immediately and they have short term consequences.

4. TIME MANAGEMENT MATRIX

IMPORTANT

Quadrant I Activities
(URGENT)
• Projects with deadlines
• Work strike
• Marital problems
• Angry customer

Quadrant II Activities
(NOT URGENT)
• Long term planning
• Net working
• Training
• Personal development

NOT IMPORTANT

Quadrant III Activities
(Urgent but not important)
• Unnecessary meetings
• Some telephone calls
• Drop - in visitors
• Some reports

Quadrant IV Activities
(Neither urgent, nor important)
• Unnecessary socializing
• Long lunch breaks
• Junk mail
• Some telephone calls

5. WHERE IS YOUR TIME GOING?

First step for improving time management is to analyze where your time is going by keeping a daily time log periodically. This you can maintain for at least one week and review your time log at the end of the week. You can find out how much time did you spend on high priority activities and interruptions? With this analysis, you can identify the time wasters and apply time management tools and techniques to make better use of your times.

6. DAILY TIME LOG
Date: ........
Time Activities Notes
8:00 - 10:00 Am
10:00-12.00 Noon
12.00 -2.00Pm
2.00-4.00Pm
4.00-6.00Pm
6.00-8.00Pm
8.00-10.00Pm

Key for Notes
A- Top priority
B- Secondary concern
C - Least important
I- Interruption


7. COMMON TIME WASTERS

A time waster is a person non-productively using their time. There are two types of time wasters. Internal time wasters (self generated) and External time wasters (imposed on us). Attempting too much meetings, confused responsibility or authority, inability to say "No", inadequate planning, ineffective delegation, incomplete information, lack of self discipline, poor communication, telephone interruptions etc are the examples of time wasting activities.

8. TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL TIME MANAGEMENT

• Focus on doing the right things (effectiveness) and doing things right(efficiency)
• Establish weekly, monthly and yearly goals and plans.
• Make a daily To-Do list i.e.
A) Top priority (must be done now)
B) Secondary concern (must be done but can be Postponed or Delegated)
C) Least important (can be forgotten)
• Schedule similar task together and perform them in one block of time.
• Leave some time for handle unexpected events.
• Maintain perspective.
• Have a "quiet hour" (prime uninterrupted time) to complete most important time.
• Don't procrastinate; do it now.
• Be decisive or decide quickly.
• Delegate some duties to the subordinate.
• Learn to say "NO"
• Do the work in an organized manner.
• Do things right the first time.
• Control the telephone call.
• Discourage drop-in visitors
• Divide major task into manageable parts that can be handled one at a time.
• Utilize bits of time for planning actions.
• Resist idle chatting and other nonproductive activities.
• Keep a time log periodically to find out where your time is going.
• Communicate effectively.
• Practice management by exception.

9. HOW WELL DO YOU MANAGE YOUR TIME?

Directions: Answer each of the following questions by checking "Yes" or "No"

1. Do you make a daily To-Do list?
2. Do you establish specific goals with deadlines?
3. Do you do important things first?
4. Do you tackle challenging tasks?
5. Do you avoid excessive socializing?
6. Do you try to handle paper work only once and throw away unimportant papers as soon as you have read them?
7. Do you keep a time log periodically as a means of improving your time use?
8. Do you keep your desk highly organized?
9. Do you have a quiet hour (prime time) to complete the most important tasks?
10. Do you plan your phone calls in advance by listing the important points that are to be discussed?
11. Do you keep your telephone calls business like?
12. Do you encourage visitors to fix appointments with you rather than to simply drop by unannounced?
13. Do you often meet deadlines?
14. Can you say "No" to requests for your time from other people that would prevent you from completing important tasks?
15. Do you delegate work that can be done by others?
Note : If 12 or more of your answers are Yes, you are managing your time very well.


10. CONCLUSION

Everybody is having twenty four hours per day, but time management depends on how we are managing or using the time. If you are managing your time effectively that will reflect your overall performance and you can attain all the goals of life. " Time is Life; to waste your time is to waste your life''

About Author / Additional Info:
Mrs. Bindu Bharathi, MSN, BSN, RN, RM
Saudi Arabia